


Where You Are

by Mack_the_Spoon, Namarie



Series: Bloodlines [14]
Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-08
Updated: 2015-08-17
Packaged: 2018-04-13 15:22:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4527219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mack_the_Spoon/pseuds/Mack_the_Spoon, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Namarie/pseuds/Namarie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Liz and Ressler try to work toward stability as they continue to live life together on the run.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a short little introductory chapter for the next section of this series. Future chapters will be longer.
> 
> If you'd like to catch up on our Bloodlines series, check out a [master list](http://namarie24.livejournal.com/120242.html) that has the whole thing in the correct order.

~~

Liz still wasn't back to full strength yet, but she had insisted on coming with him to shop for some essentials to stock their house – the place that would be their new home in Cape Town. And although he could see that she was starting to flag after they finished getting most of what they needed at the supermarket, she reminded him that they had said they were going to check out one of the local outdoor markets. “Just for a little while,” she said, when he frowned. “I'm getting tired, and I know we have refrigerated stuff in the car, but I want to take a look, at least.”

So they started down the street front that was lined with various stalls selling fresh fruits and vegetables. Even though her general lack of cooking ability hadn't changed much, Liz exclaimed over the variety that was available, and they bought a few items that Don knew would be useful in his own efforts to make food. But he could tell she was nearing the end of her energy, so he put an arm around her. “Come on,” he said. “Let's go home.”

“What-- I don't believe it!”

At first Don was alarmed at this outburst, and the way she suddenly stopped moving. But then he followed her gaze, and saw that she was looking at a stall selling more exotic varieties of fruit. Included among them was a pile of dark purple, round fruits that he didn't recognize. “What is it?”

Liz had already crossed the path to examine the fruit more closely. “We have to get some of these. They're amazing.”

“These? What are they?” Don picked one up. It was harder to the touch than he had been expecting.

The vendor came over and smiled at them before Liz could reply. “I take it at least one of you has had mangosteens before, have you?”

Liz nodded and smiled in return. “They were one of my favorite things about being in Thailand.”

Chuckling, the vendor said, “I believe you. It's a lucky thing these ones survived the import process, then, isn't it?”

“It is,” Liz said. She looked at the price written on the front of the stand, and added with a little grimace, “Although it does add to the price, I suppose.”

“Sadly, yes,” the man agreed. “How much do they sell them for in Thailand? Approximately, I mean.”

Liz's smile faded for a moment, but then she shrugged and looked cheerful again. “I'm not sure, actually.”

The vendor didn't press, thankfully. While Liz allowed the man to help her select a kilo of mangosteens, Don glanced at some of the other options available at that stand. There was a mound of bizarre-looking, bright pink spiny things that, he saw with amusement, were labeled as dragon fruit. After she had bought the mangosteens, Liz glanced at what he was looking at, and chuckled. “Let's try those next time.”

Once they were done, Liz was happy to begin the walk back to their car with all of their purchases. She was definitely dragging by the time they got there, but she still smiled at Don as he got into the driver's seat. “You're going to love these things, I can guarantee it,” she said, pointing at the bag of mangosteens.

“I'm sure I will,” he told her. “And if I don't, well, there'll be more for you.”

Her eyes widened. “That's true! Hmm, now I don't know whether to hope I'm right or wrong about you liking them.”

“Ha ha.” But he couldn't keep the answering smile off his face. It was just so good to be here, with her, joking and laughing again. It made him even happier to consider his plans for just a few days from now.

That evening, after dinner, Liz showed Don how to eat the little fruits. To her pretend dismay, once he slit open his first one and tried one of the sections inside, he pronounced them delicious. “When did you try them in Thailand?” he asked. He hoped it was a pleasant memory, if it was associated with such good food.

She cut into the rind of another one and pulled it open. “While I was at the temple,” she replied after a moment. “There were some in one of the fruit baskets that were given by the local people to me. As an, uh, offering.”

Don's jaw dropped. An _offering?_ “Huh. Wow.”

Snorting lightly, Liz nodded. “Yeah. It was pretty weird to deal with. They sent me lots of different kinds of food, and flowers, and a few other things. And Daniel even told me that the monks wanted to organize a festival in my honor.”

“You mean, like, to worship--?”

“Apparently.” She shook her head. “They were sure I could bring good luck to the surrounding area, or something. But at least they were willing to wait until I'd recovered from the concussion and bruised ribs first, which gave me enough time to decide when I wanted to leave. And the food was really good.”

Ressler tried and failed to imagine what this would have been like for her. “Did you at least-- Had you remembered anything by then?”

“You mean, did I know I was a dragon?” Liz set down her knife and wiped her sticky fingers on a napkin. “Not when I first got to the temple. But by the next morning I'd dreamed about my first transformation. And there were these stone snake sculptures that I...” She trailed off, clearly remembering. Then she smiled. “Really, it wasn't a bad couple of days,” she told him. “The people I met there were all … nice, especially Daniel. He was the one who told me what it was the telepath boy had called me – the Thai word for dragon. Before he said that, I only got enough from my dream to know I could transform, that I wasn't truly human. So he helped me put that piece into place, and then I remembered that my father was a dragon, too, and that you weren't.” At that, she paused again, and gave him a sadder smile. “Even though I still couldn't think of either of your names.”

He reached for her hand, with the one of his that wasn't sticky with fruit juice. “Well, I'm glad you had someone who helped you remember a little more about yourself,” he said. And it was true, even if the idea of some strange man looking after her still kind of bothered him.

She squeezed his fingers in hers, and then raised her eyebrows. “Wait a minute.” She sat forward. “Was that a hint of jealousy I detected just then? Who are you even-- _Daniel?_ You're jealous of him?”

The incredulity in her voice and on her face both reassured him and made him feel the need to justify himself. “You did say he was especially nice, you know.” His tone was mostly joking.

Liz laughed and said, “Yes, he was. Nice to look at, too. And that accent – very charming.”

“Okay, now you're just messing with me,” Don complained, trying to hide his smile.

“You're making it too easy,” she replied. Her grin was wicked. “And besides, everything I just said is completely true! Maybe I should go on and tell you about how Daniel was _so_ helpful and concerned about my safety, too.”

He was starting to regret having helped Red find this guy for her, so she could give an anonymous gift in thanks like she wanted to do for everyone who had helped her in Thailand. “That's really great. I'm sure he's a great guy,” he said with a straight face.

Liz got up so she could put her arms around his shoulders from behind his chair. “I'm sure he is, too – but he's also thinking about becoming a monk. And he never touched me, and more importantly, I never wanted him to,” she went on, her voice softer now. “Like I told you before, I missed you the whole time, even when I wasn't sure who you were or what your name was.”

Don took a moment to compose himself, as well as to try again to get his hands a little cleaner, before he turned halfway around in his chair and met her eyes. “Well, all right then,” he said. He reached to cup her face in his hands. “And by the way, in case you were worried, I have absolutely no interest in ever becoming a monk.”

She laughed again and leaned in to kiss him. _I wasn't worried, but thanks._

~


	2. Chapter 2

~~~~~~

Part of him regretted not going for it while they had been on the island. After all, it was hard to imagine a more romantic spot than a private tropical island. On the other hand, he'd been reluctant to put any additional stress on Liz – even what he hoped would be good stress – so soon after her leaving the hospital. Plus, the island had been small enough that Ressler couldn't picture having had much privacy.

So now, as he and Liz moved in to what would hopefully be another semi-permanent home, Don slipped his hand into his pocket and touched the ring box again. She was definitely feeling better, and had been for a few weeks now. They were both cautiously optimistic about their new life, despite all the challenges they knew awaited them.

All in all, it seemed like a pretty good opportunity. And Don was honestly tired of waiting. Thus, he decided that an over-the-top, 'perfect' proposal might not be the way to go. Instead, he researched the nicest restaurants in Cape Town, and suggested a date night for five days after they'd moved in.

“That sounds wonderful,” said Liz. “Can we explore the city a little more, too?”

“Sure,” he agreed, although that would mean he'd probably want to be especially 'on duty' for that part of the evening. He knew the city wasn't the safest place in the world.

When that evening arrived, and they were both ready to go, Liz shot him a look, eyes narrowed. “Are you okay, Ressler? You seem nervous.”

He smiled. “I'm fine. Just hoping I don't get us lost on the way to the restaurant. Have I mentioned that you look amazing, by the way?”

She beamed, and came over to kiss him. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”

She was wearing a dress that matched her eyes, that was a little off her shoulders. He knew she was probably self-conscious about how thin she still was, but to his eyes, she had nothing to worry about. Though he was still concerned that she be as healthy as possible, when he looked at her, all he could think was that he was insanely lucky.

Thankfully, Ressler found the place without any trouble, and gave the keys for their brand new car to the valet. Liz and Reddington had argued about the car – he had wanted to give them one, pointing out that the two of them could prove themselves independent by buying a second once they both started to work. Liz had grumbled for a while, but finally agreed, so long as he promised it wouldn't be ostentatious. Which she probably hadn't needed to specify, since their whole aim was to stay under everyone's radar.

Now, he helped Liz out of her side, and escorted her to their table. “Hungry?” he asked, after they had both sat.

She nodded, then picked up the menu and raised her eyebrows. “Wow, I'd better be.”

“Tonight is for celebration,” said Don. “We're here, and we're going to make a good life here for however long we can. So, start out by ordering whatever you want.”

She did so. And despite his nerves, he was able to be present in the moment. He even made her laugh several times, and she was clearly relaxed and happy by the time they ordered dessert. “Thanks for this, Don,” she said, her gaze straying to the window next to them.

“You're welcome,” he said. “Where do you want to go after we're done? You said you wanted to explore the city.”

“I think I'm too tired to do a lot,” she admitted. “But I wouldn't mind walking down by the pier.”

“Sounds great.” In fact, it sounded exactly like what he would have suggested if she hadn't. “Just let me know if you decide you'd rather go home, any time.”

As they exited the restaurant, a family with two pre-teen kids was on its way in, and one of them loudly declared, “I'm starving!”

Liz stopped and watched them as they went inside. Her expression turned distant, and she swallowed. But before Don could even say anything, she shook her head and turned back to him, a shaky smile on her face. “Sorry.”

“No, don't apologize,” he said quickly. “Are you okay?”

“I'm fine,” she said. “I just... I don't think I can use that expression anytime soon.”

“I'd guess not,” he agreed. When she shivered, he put his arm through hers. “Me, neither.”

She was quiet in the car on the way to the pier, but brightened as they parked. “Oh, it's beautiful.”

The lights reflecting on the water, with a nearly full moon above, did make a very pretty scene. “You want to walk out on the dock?” he asked, as they got out of the car.

“Of course. We've come this far.” She shivered again.

“You're cold,” he stated. To him, it felt merely pleasantly cool. He shrugged out of his suit jacket and draped it around her shoulders.

“Thanks,” she said, giving him a smile.

They walked out almost to the end of the pier. “Well. I have to say this city's given me a good first impression so far,” she said.

There weren't crowds of other people on the boardwalk, although they also certainly weren't alone. Don appreciated that fact. “Yeah,” he said. He took a deep breath, and then realized the ring box was in the pocket of the jacket Liz was now wearing. But he could roll with that. He took a step closer. “C'mere a second,” he said, reaching toward her to pull it out.

“What are you doing?” she asked, eyebrows raised.

He met her eyes, heart pounding. “When I gave you my jacket, I forgot for a second there was something in there – something else I want to give you to wear, but the giving of this is a little more of a big deal.” He took out the box and opened it, sinking to one knee.

Liz gasped and put both hands to her face.

“I actually had this all planned out in New Zealand, but I guess I waited too long. So I'm not making that mistake again. Liz, we may not know much about what our future holds, but one thing I'm sure of is that I want my future to be with you. Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” she said, voice barely above a whisper. Then she cleared her throat. “Yes! Now will you please get up?”

He stood, and only then did he notice that a few passers by were clapping. But none of them seemed to be paying them any more attention that he supposed would be normal for watching two random people getting engaged. Oh my God, he was engaged. To Elizabeth Keen. Finally.

“Can I see it, already?” Liz asked, teasing. There were tears in her eyes, though, so he guessed she might be feeling as overwhelmed as he was. When he offered her the box, she traced her finger over the ring and gasped again. “Don, it's gorgeous.” She pulled it out and put it on her left ring finger, holding her hand up to admire the effect.

“Those are sapphires and topaz around the diamond,” he explained. “They, uh, reminded me of you.”

She looked up at him and beamed again, blushing. “Thank you. You've had this since New Zealand?”

“Yeah,” he said again. “And the band is partly rose gold. I thought pure copper might be a little too on-the-nose.”

She snorted softly. Then she put the empty box back in the pocket of the jacket, and threw her arms around him. “It's perfect. You're perfect.”

He laughed, but put his arms around her, as well. “Liz, if you think it's perfect, than I'm glad it's yours.” Then he added quietly, so that no one who happened to be still watching would hear, “And I know I'm not perfect, but I'm yours, too.”

She pulled back from him enough to search his face, eyes bright with tears again. “Me, too.” Then she kissed him sweetly. “Now let's get out of here before we become a tourist attraction, ourselves.”

Considering that how he wanted to finish the evening was an activity best enjoyed in private, Don had no problem with that suggestion. Liz must have picked up on that train of thought, because she shot him an amused glance, and then deliberately licked her lips while looking at him through half-lidded eyes. “Liz,” he groaned, “it's going to take us at least a half hour to drive home.”

She laughed. “I know. Sorry.” But she didn't look very sorry. “Will it help if I promise to make it worth the wait?”

“God, by all means, keep talking about it,” he sighed. “You're a cruel woman.”

“You brought it up,” she said, a mock-innocent look on her face.

“Uh huh. I didn't actually say anything, you know,” he pointed out. They'd reached their car, and he opened the door for her.

“I hate to break it to you, Don,” she said, smirking, “but it took absolutely no telepathy on my part to figure out what you were thinking about.”

He scoffed and got into his own seat and started the car, but before he could even shift out of park, Liz was leaning across to take his face in her hands. “That's mostly because I was already thinking about the same thing.” Then she kissed him again, and this time it wasn't sweet.

Breathless, he stared at her when they broke apart. “You really are trying to kill me.” Her lipstick was smeared, and her hair was a little messy by this point. And it was really hard to stop looking at her.

She just sat back in her seat, meeting his eyes. “Nah, I know you can take it.”

Ressler shook his head, and finally took the car onto the road. Normally, he might be tired after a long night out, but tonight all it took to give him a jolt of adrenaline was the reminder that he and Liz were engaged now. They were going to get married. It was unreal, but so very real, all at the same time.

“I want to tell someone,” Liz said softly, after several minutes. “I mean, if Red doesn't already know, we have to tell him, of course. And you have a way to contact Samar. But I wish Aram and Cooper could know. And Whitney.”

“And my dad,” said Ressler.

Liz didn't say anything, although she nodded. Don was pretty sure she was still certain that his father must justifiably hate her. But she hadn't said a word to that effect since the day he'd found out about his mother. He hadn't meant to force her not to say anything at all – in fact, he knew he shouldn't have yelled at her, even while his grief had been strongest. Her being convinced that she wasn't allowed to voice her guilt wasn't any better for her or him. They would have to talk about this. But meanwhile he didn't want to spoil the thrill of this evening.

“We may not be able to send out cards, but I think we can figure something out,” he said, keeping his tone light.

“You think so?” Her expression lightened, too.

“Yeah. We're pretty resourceful,” he said.

“We are,” she replied. “Now that I think about it, though, I kind of want to wait until tomorrow to start telling people.”

“That's fine with me,” he assured her. “We can keep it a secret just between us – and a bunch of people at the downtown pier.”

She laughed, and it was physically impossible for him to resist grinning back at her. His fiancée. His soon-to-be wife. God, that sounded good.

~~~~~~

Liz, it turned out, was bound and determined that they get married as soon as they could. He didn't disagree, although he wasn't actually sure what the logistics would be – for instance, could even Reddington make it so that their marriage would be legal if... when they returned to the US? That seemed farfetched. Honestly, he wouldn't have cared that much – the two of them already had the 'for better or for worse' stuff down pat. But they did both want to be official, and he thought it would be nice if official also meant legal in their home country.

He figured it couldn't hurt to try, at least. So, once Reddington knew and had sent them his congratulations, Ressler contacted him to ask about that possibility. The response, several minutes after he'd sent the message, was a simple statement that Red would see what could be done to make their South African marriage license as easily transferable as possible.

Samar's response to his email, which had contained only a picture of the ring on Liz's finger, was equally concise:

_About time. Congratulations!_

Don showed it to Liz, who beamed another one of the wide, unrestrained smiles that she had been much more prone to since he'd asked her to marry him. “That's sweet. Mostly.”

“You sensed a little impatience, too?”

She nodded. “Easy for her to say, 'about time'. I kind of doubt she's as invested as we are.”

He snorted. “You think?”

“I want her to come to the wedding, though,” said Liz. “I really wish everyone could come.” But before he could feel bad for that disappointment, she smiled at him again, with a glint of mischief in her eyes. “Still. We can have a small, intimate ceremony, before we get to the most intimate part.”

“Absolutely,” said Don, tilting his head to kiss her.


	3. Chapter 3

~~  
One day after he and Liz had become engaged, Don got a call on his phone from an unfamiliar number. That usually meant it was Red, and this time was no exception. “Sorry to call you on business so soon after your happy announcement, Donald,” he began, “but you said you wished to be informed regarding my continued investigation into Lizzie's kidnapping.”

Don took a sharp breath. “Yeah, I did. You have some news?”

Liz came into the room at that point, her expression curious. Don mouthed, “It's your father,” and she nodded, coming closer.

“I have a fair amount, yes,” Red was saying. He paused. “Is she there? Perhaps you could put me on speaker, if she's ready to hear about this.”

“I'll ask.” Don held the phone away as he turned to Liz. “He has news about the people who took you. Do you want to hear it?”

She straightened her spine and looked at him steadily. “Yeah. Go ahead.”

“Okay. I'm putting you on speaker, Red.”

“Lizzie,” Red said, “this is in regard to the intel given by the men whom your fiancé and I interrogated offshore at the island.”

“So that's what you two were up to,” said Liz, but with no hint of irritation or anger. She gestured to the couch, and Ressler took the hint. Once they were both sitting, she said, “Go on.”

“The names we obtained from those men led, via a series of false trails and hidden identities, to what I now believe is a splinter faction within the Cabal.” He paused for a moment to let them start to absorb this. “I surmise that they're a faction based first on their behavior. We know the Cabal wants to have Elizabeth Keen and Raymond Reddington arrested and utterly discredited before making us disappear forever, or they want to outright kill us. And that's not what happened to you, Lizzie, when you were in their custody.”

“No, that's true,” she said. She was serious, but did not seem (to Don's relief) like she was reliving anything traumatic.

“There's other evidence, as well.” Red went on to tell them that his investigation had led to a man named Gerald Wright, who had been a part of this splinter group. “Gerald was eventually persuaded to tell me, among other things, how their goals differ from those of the Cabal as a whole,” he said. “Apparently, this particular bunch disagrees with the Director's leadership and thinks they should all be taking a more active, visible role in world politics. To that end, they wanted to get what they could out of you, Lizzie, and use it against the rest of the group. They were eventually going to use you to get to me, if you had kept resisting, and of course hadn't been smuggled out.” Don could hear the tension in the man's voice as he related this.

When Don looked at Liz, her eyes were dark. But she swallowed and said, “Did this guy tell you anything else useful?”

“Well, he gave me a few more names to track down,” her father said. “I'll pass them along to you, as well, but I expect you both will be busy with preparations for a certain impending event. And I wouldn't want to distract you from that priority.”

“We can keep it on the back burner,” said Don. He would insist on being more actively involved in the rest of this process, but it was, in fact, not as important as their wedding. “Go ahead and send the information to me. To us,” he amended, at Liz's glare.

Red sounded vaguely amused at that, as if he had watched this little exchange take place. “All right. I'll be in touch.”

Liz was quiet for the rest of that evening. At his queries, she would assure him she was all right, but he could guess she was dwelling on what little she remembered of her time in captivity. She had said she was ready to be included in the kind of conversation they had with Red earlier, and yet talking about it still clearly had a negative effect on her. That worried him.

Finally, he walked over and sat down next to her, not too close, on the couch. He didn't say anything, didn't ask her again if she was okay although he wanted to. He just waited silently.

Several minutes later, she turned to him, opened her mouth, and turned away again. “I-- I wasn't sure, Don,” she said in a low voice. “I didn't know until Red said so, that … that I had even sort of succeeded at resisting whatever it was that those people did to me while I was chained up in that room.”

“Oh, Liz,” he breathed, and reached for her. She came to him readily. She was trembling, but not crying. She had been doubting herself ever since her memory started to come back? No wonder this news had upset her so much. “Liz, I-- _of course_ you resisted. Of course you did everything in your power not to give them what they wanted, honey. That's who you are.”

She drew a shaky breath and then exhaled. “I just... It's just that I can't remember much of it, you know, and the only thing I can really bring to mind is this heavy, awful feeling, like I must have given in. Like I failed.”

He stroked a hand down her hair to her back as she stayed in his arms. “Well, I'm sure they were doing their damnedest to make you feel that way, no matter how little you gave them.” He knew she would be able to feel his fury at them. Then he hesitated. Maybe it would actually help her to hear this. “One of the men I interrogated – he said the people in charge ordered you to be drugged whenever they were in with you, and that always left you confused.”

Liz stiffened and then relaxed a little. “Huh. I guess that does explain some things.”

They sat together quietly for a little while longer. Then Liz pulled away. “Well. I think I'm done with that topic for tonight, if not for longer,” she said. “I want to get back to the fun stuff, like wedding planning.”

She laced that last phrase with a dose of irony, knowing as she did that Don had expressed a wish to keep things simple. But since he also knew she agreed, he just smiled and shook his head. “Sure, let's get back to it.” Maybe they could get the bulk of the planning out of the way tonight. Or maybe that was a wildly unrealistic hope.

As it turned out, they did in fact finish at least the most important aspects of the wedding planning that evening: the invite list (necessarily small), the venue, and the date. They both went to bed pleased with the day's accomplishments. However, it didn't take long for Don to realize, once the light was off, that he wasn't going to be falling asleep any time soon. And based on Liz's restlessness, neither was she.

“Hey. What are you thinking about?” he asked quietly, after what had to be at least an hour of him alternately staring at the ceiling or at his fiancee. He hoped her answer wasn't going to have anything to do with the news Red had given about the splinter group of the Cabal – but if it was, he supposed not sleeping was at least different from nightmares. Whether or not it was better, he wasn't sure.

“Oh, sorry,” she whispered, turning to face him. “I hope I'm not keeping you awake.”

He shook his head, knowing she would be able to see it in the dim light from the streetlight outside their window. “Nah. I was already awake, too.”

“Hmm.” Liz sighed, and then reached for his hand. “I'll tell you what's been keeping me awake, but I don't think you're going to like it.”

Now he was curious. “Okay... Uh, well, I promise I won't get mad.”

She took another deep breath, still holding his hand. “I was just thinking about my first wedding. And how different this one is going to be.”

“Ah. I see.” Well, she was right that even the oblique mention of Tom was enough to make him tense. But he made himself take a few moments before he replied. After all, considering what had been on his mind, he didn't have much room to complain. He swallowed. “It's not like this is the first time either of us has been engaged. It's natural that we'd be thinking about it. About … them.”

She came a little closer. “I guess you're right,” she said softly. Then she let go of his hand so she could lay hers on his face. “I'm sorry if this has brought back some painful memories for you, Ressler.”

He leaned into her touch and told her, “It's all right. It's-- it's just something I need to work through.” He hadn't really expected the memory of Audrey's delighted, beaming face when he had proposed to her to come back quite as strongly as it had a few times in the past couple of days. Prior to this, it had become hard for him to bring the details of her face to mind. And that hurt, even though the hurt was not as sharp as it would have been just a few years ago. “Even though I'm glad – so glad – that things have turned out the way they have between us,” he said, deciding to come out with it, “I still wish you could have gotten to know her. You guys would've liked each other.”

“I met her once,” said Liz. She was watching him closely. “When you were in the hospital, after Garrick. She seemed like a sweet person.”

“She was.” His smile was sad.

She stroked her hand over his cheek. “I would have liked to know her better. I think you're right that we could have been friends.” After a long pause, she gave a wry smile. “I'm not sure there was ever any universe where you and Tom would have been friends, though.”

“No. I wouldn't want to be in that universe, even if it existed,” he said, louder than he had intended. At her raised eyebrows, he explained in a more normal tone, “Not if it meant he was still lying to you.”

Her expression softened, and she leaned closer to kiss him. If his response and deepening of the kiss had an edge of possessiveness to it, Liz didn't seem to mind. In fact, judging by how she made a sound of approval and then climbed on top of him, she was very far from against continuing this. For the next while, Don's thoughts were occupied with nothing but Liz, and he did his best to make sure Liz had no thoughts to spare for anything or anyone but him.

When they lay in each other's arms afterward, Don was on the brink of sleep. He drifted pleasantly for a while until an unwelcome thought came out of nowhere, bringing him nearly back to full awareness: when Liz married him in a few weeks, not only would it be her second marriage, but it might well not be her last. After all, there was every reason to think she would outlive him by decades. Centuries, even.

Liz murmured sleepily while Don was trying to wrap his mind around this, and he looked down at her with a pang he hoped she wasn't going to notice. He could – and would – spend the rest of his life with her … but how much of her life would that be?

“Go to sleep, Don,” Liz said then, quiet but distinct. “You think too much.” She wrapped her arms more tightly around him, eyes still shut, and added, _I love you._

Smiling, his heart full, Don kissed her hair and sighed. Why was he borrowing trouble, when all he needed was right here? And if she did know what he had been thinking about, she still didn't want him to worry. “Love you, too, Liz.” He closed his eyes.

~  
It was cliched, Don knew, but he couldn't help it: as the ceremony got closer, he felt himself getting more and more nervous. It wasn't like the thing was going to be very complicated, and they'd gone over the order of the service together a few times leading up to today. And of course it wasn't like this was something he didn't want to do. He did want to do this – very much. His desire to do this hadn't wavered for a very long time. But somehow things were different now that it was almost time. Almost time for him to get married to Elizabeth Keen. Finally.

For the fifth or sixth time, he checked to be sure all of the pieces of his outfit for tonight were in place and ready, ironed and laid out on his bedspread. They were, of course. Nothing had changed in the past two minutes. Sighing, Don turned away and stepped out the sliding glass door onto the patio outside his room. Liz was still off doing something important, wedding-preparation-wise, with Samar. He, on the other hand, had nothing else scheduled until the evening's all-important event.

“Donald.”

Don flinched, and then mentally berated himself for flinching. Somehow Red had managed to come around the side of the little cottage without making a sound, and when Don turned to see him standing in the yard a few feet away, the man was smiling at him with just a hint of smugness. Of course he had seen Don jump. Of course he had. “Red.”

“Do you have a moment to talk? It's a pleasant afternoon, and there are a few things I'd like to discuss with you.” His tone and his gaze were mild under the brim of the ever-present hat.

“Sure.” Don turned back toward the house for a second, and then shrugged before stepping off the patio to join the other man. This section of the coast was deserted; they had seen to that before coming out here at all. He probably didn't have to worry about locking the doors.

The two men walked in silence for a while. Don was curious to know what his soon-to-be father-in-law wanted to say to him, but not worried. Not anymore nervous than he already had been, anyway. He and Red had come to understand each other pretty well over the past several years – and not that he needed it, but he knew he had Red's approval to be with Liz.

Eventually, Red broke the silence. “How are you feeling, Donald? Nervous?”

“A little,” Don admitted, scratching the back of his neck. “Which is weird, because it's not like I don't know what's going to happen – or that I'm not ready for it.”

“Nonetheless, it's a very normal reaction,” Red said with a nod. “It's a momentous day in your life and Lizzie's life, and despite the fact that you already know each other so well, there's no way marriage won't change you both.”

It was Don's turn to nod at that.

Red was silent for another several seconds, and then he said, “You've come a long way since you first met Elizabeth, Donald. You were so suspicious and resentful of her – do you remember?”

“How could I forget?” It was easy to bring to mind that first day after Raymond Reddington had turned himself in and demanded to speak with a rookie agent no one had ever heard of. It was much harder to return himself to the mental state he had been in back then. “Although at the same time, that day seems like a lifetime ago.”

“Yes.” Red stopped walking, and turned to face the ocean. Don followed suit. “But through all of the ways you've changed, one thing has been consistently true, ever since only a little while after you first met Lizzie: you've remained a man she can trust and rely on.”

Don didn't know what to say to that. He could certainly think of times when he had been the opposite of reliable. He was also still amazed, now and then, at the fact that Liz had chosen him, and wanted him. Instead of replying, he just continued to stare out at the ocean.

“I should also tell you, though perhaps you won't appreciate hearing such a thing from me,” Red continued, “that I'm proud of you and what you and Lizzie have accomplished together. Quite apart from what a good match you are for my daughter, you've shown yourself to be entirely praiseworthy on your own merits.”

Now Ressler was starting to feel awkward. This was uncharacteristic – he didn't think Red had been this expansive even after he had pledged to join Liz's organization, and that occasion had included a lot of post-pledge drinking. He still didn't know how to respond. “Red, you don't have to--”

“Don't worry, Donald. I'm almost through.” This time, his smile was a real one. “I'll finish by saying that … I find myself glad that life has brought us to the point of joining us into the same family.”

That seemed, in fact, to be all he had wanted to say. Don took a breath. It had occurred to him more than once, how much his feelings toward Reddington had undergone changes over the last several years. It had been a long time since Don had merely tolerated this man's proximity for Liz's sake. There had even been moments, when he and Liz had not had contact from her father in a while, that he had sort of missed having him around. And now, this was it. They were really going to be family members. “Well, maybe it'll surprise you to hear it,” he said, meeting Red's eyes, “but I'm pretty sure I'm glad, too. Most of the time, anyway.”

Red laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. “And the rest of the time? Don't worry, Donald: being irritated by one's in-laws is another time-honored married tradition.”

“One that I'm sure is very important to maintain,” muttered Don, rolling his eyes, as they both started to walk back toward the house.

“You're a traditional sort of guy, aren't you?” Red pointed out brightly. “I'm merely helping you to do your part.”

At that, Don couldn't help laughing. “In that case, thanks.” This family was certainly going to be interesting. He wouldn't try to deny that.

The wedding went off without a hitch. It was a small affair, as they had planned it to be, on the South African beach that evening. Don's joy only dimmed occasionally, when he missed seeing his mom and dad's faces among the little group of those gathered to wish him and Liz well. They had been able to tell his dad they were engaged, but not via any kind of communication that he could respond to. And of course there was no way he could have attended, unless Liz or Red wiped his memory afterward. That was not something he would have been okay with, only partially because it would kind of have defeated the purpose of his being there.

Still, Don tried his best not to dwell on who was missing. Instead, he focused on his new wife, and her radiant joy and beauty. It certainly wasn't hard to pay attention to her. All he wanted to do the whole time was look at her, drink her in, and be amazed that this was happening at last.

During the reception that followed (really just a relaxed dinner with friends), Samar had plenty of time to talk with both the new bride and groom. Her congratulations and happiness for them both were sincere. When they asked, she was also very willing to update them on their friends from the Bureau.

“Cooper sends his congratulations,” she said with a smile. “He wishes he could have come in person, but we decided it was still better not to risk it.”

Liz nodded, her own smile sad. “We understand. Send our greetings back.”

Taking her hand in his, Don added, “Yeah, it would have been great to have him here, but it's good to hear from him, anyway. And how's Aram doing?”

“He's doing well. He misses you both. I think he even misses Reddington sometimes.” She looked fond. “We'll have to talk some more, you two and I, once you get back from your honeymoon, about when and how we can bring Aram in. I know he's guessed more than he lets on.”

“Yeah, that's probably overdue,” Liz said. “We'll definitely talk when we get back. In the meantime, if you'd like to figure out a discreet way of telling him we miss him, too...”

“I can definitely do that,” Samar told them. She hesitated, then went on, “I can also tell you both that I appreciate how careful you've been to keep him from falling under suspicion. He's been able to keep working, keep living with very little interference from our enemies, and that means a great deal--” Her voice started to sound choked, and she stopped, laughing and shaking her head. “Listen to me. I guess I do tend to get emotional at weddings.”

Don chuckled. “That's understandable, and forgivable.”

Samar and Liz hugged, and then she hugged Don, as well. “Stay in touch. But not for the next couple of weeks. All right?”

With another laugh, the two of them agreed.

~


	4. Chapter 4

~~~~~~

The ceremony did turn out to be small, intimate, and not drawn out. Only Samar, Dembe, and Red were in attendance. They stood on the South African beach under a gazebo, and the minister (where Red had made that particular connection, Liz had no idea) led them through their vows as the sun set. Even when the wind picked up, blowing a few flowers out of the lattice of the gazebo and disarranging her hair, Liz couldn't stop smiling. Her wedding to Tom couldn't have been farther from her mind. This, right here, was exactly what she wanted. And of course, the most important part was that Don was exactly who she wanted – and she was who he wanted.

After they shared their first kiss as husband and wife, and Samar and Dembe had scattered a few handfuls of blossoms over them, and the ceremony was over, Liz made sure to hug each of their guests in turn. “Samar, I'm so glad you could come,” she said.

“I wouldn't have missed it. It was a beautiful service,” said her friend. She grinned. “I noticed you didn't have Red give you away, nor did you promise to obey.”

Liz rolled her eyes. “Yeah, and Don didn't ask Red for my hand, first, either. Because none of those things would have gone over well with anyone. Oh, hey, you want me to just hand you my bouquet? I don't think throwing it would make a lot of sense.”

Samar raised an eyebrow. “You should keep your flowers, Liz. But thanks for the offer. I'll take it in the spirit it's meant.”

“Good. On that note, say 'hi' to Aram for me, the next time you see him.”

Samar shook her head. “I fail to see how me passing on greetings to him has anything to do with what we were talking about, but I will.” But Liz could tell she wasn't nearly as innocent of the connection as she pretended.

Dembe congratulated them both heartily. “You are both very lucky to have found each other. You're very well-suited.”

“Thanks, Dembe,” said Liz. “I know I'm lucky. And we're both lucky to have you as a friend, too.”

“Be happy and well, Elizabeth,” he said.

She came to Red last, and hugged him tighter than the others, kissing him on the cheek before she pulled away. “Thank you, Red,” she said quietly.

“For what, Lizzie?”

“For keeping me safe. And Don, too. We wouldn't be here, able to have this life together, without you.”

He blinked several times, and his voice was unsteady when he spoke. “My dear, there's no need to thank me. The chance to see you so happy is reward enough. This is what you deserve.” He stroked a lock of hair from her face. “And it's a testament to your own strength, and the strength of your bond with Donald, that you've made it to this point. Through everything you've faced on this journey, your determination has carried you well, and...” He paused, and swallowed. “I'm proud of you, Lizzie.”

Now she had to blink back tears. “Some people might just say I'm stubborn. But I think I get that from my father,” she said, and hugged him again. _I love you, Red. I don't say that enough._

She felt his very emotional reaction to those words, and then his own arms tightened around her. _And I love you, my dearest Lizzie. So much more than I can express._

~~~~~~

At least it hadn't happened on her honeymoon, Liz would reflect later. She and Don had been back in Cape Town from their flawless Mediterranean getaway for three days, and they were starting to get back into a routine. Of course, it had all been new even before they'd finally tied the knot, but they had both been enough used to their jobs that coming back to them hadn't been too hard.

She and Don were in town to do some shopping when she suddenly grabbed his hand and pulled him around behind the display at the end of the aisle. _I cannot believe it,_ she muttered.

“Are you all right?” he asked quickly, voice low.

“I'm fine,” she told him. _I don't think he saw us. But I could have sworn I just saw Tom come in. And I think I recognize his mind, although the place is kind of crowded for me to be sure._

“Seriously?” Don asked, his eyebrows raised. His hand strayed toward the inside pocket of his jacket.

“I don't think he saw us,” she repeated, stilling his movement with her own hand. _But obviously I'd rather it stay that way. We should leave. We can come back when he's gone and actually buy what we need._

“Fine with me,” Don told her, still in an undertone.

Liz started to breathe a little easier once they were outside in the parking lot. “What the hell is he doing here?”

“I don't need to tell you I doubt it's anything good,” said Ressler.

She snorted. “No, you do not.” They approached their car, and just as she was pondering what they should do for an hour or so, until they felt like it was likely Tom had left, she stilled. Then she turned around. “You can come out now, Tom.”

Her husband stepped closer to her, and she saw him clench his jaw.

And the man who had been her husband, a lifetime ago, walked casually out from behind a row of cars. “Good to see you, Liz. I like the hair.”

She had lightened it a few shades. “What are you doing here?” she asked, crossing her arms to resist touching her hair.

“I'd ask the same, except since I know you've been a fugitive for over a year now, it looks like this must be home for you,” said Tom.

Liz narrowed her eyes. “So... you just happened to run into us?”

He shrugged. “I guess so. Lucky me.”

“You still haven't said what you're doing here,” Don pointed out.

Now he looked more uncertain. He laughed uncomfortably. “Not much, actually. I've been doing odd jobs for a while, here and there. I was just scoping out options for what I could do next.”

She didn't want to know what kind of odd jobs he might be talking about. She didn't even want to be having this conversation, with this man. “Well, I hope you have other places to look.”

His eyebrows rose, and that irritatingly condescending smile of his made an appearance. “What, is this part of your territory now? You going to drive me out if I try to stick around?”

“You going to force me to?” Remembering that Tom had never had the opportunity to see her true form, Liz purposefully loosened her hold on her human shape just slightly. She waited until she knew the change was about to be enough to possibly attract other people's attention – and until the man in front of her had paled and stepped back – before returning completely to human. “Well?”

“I – No, I wouldn't force you to,” Tom said, swallowing.

“Anyway, wouldn't you rather be somewhere where there's a chance there may not be people who don't want you around? I'd think that would be better for everyone.”

Now he looked vaguely offended, which was almost laughable except for how insane it was. “Liz, it's not like I was planning to follow you home and bother you. But I do have as much right to be here as you. Maybe I could even help you out.”

“Yeah? How's that?” Don asked.

Tom rolled his eyes. “Oh, I don't know, it's not like I have training in surveillance or protection.”

“We don't need your help with either of those,” Liz said, gritting her teeth. “And I cannot imagine a world in which I'd invite you to join my organization in any position. I don't know you, and I don't trust you.”

He sighed. “I thought I proved to you that I didn't want to hurt you. That I was trying to look out for you.”

Part of her really wanted to simply hypnotize him, right now, into leaving and forgetting he'd ever seen her. “Yeah, in that particular instance, I guess I believe you weren't trying to hurt me or Don. But I don't appreciate your methods, and if you think anything about the interactions we've had is enough to earn some kind of fresh start, you're crazy.”

Tom looked frustrated. “Fine. I get it. I'll go.”

Liz pressed her lips together. She doubted how much he actually got it. “Good.” She felt Ressler's misgivings, and traded glances with him. Then she looked back at Tom. “I need to know you won't tell anyone about either of us.”

“I won't,” he said. After a second, he sighed again. “You can check if you want.”

She just nodded and stepped closer, until she could see that he was telling the truth. It would be more certain, safer, if she reinforced his intentions with her own order. “Make sure you don't,” she ended up saying, and she did use her dragon energy to strengthen it. She wished she didn't feel like she had to, but she did.

Tom blinked, then nodded. And then he shot her a suspicious look, then opened his mouth as if to say something. Before he did, however, his eyes widened and he grabbed her left hand. “You're married?”

She jerked her hand away. “Not that it's any of your business, but yes, we are.”

Even as she spoke, Don came up and shoved Tom away. She could tell he was struggling not to be any more violent. “Hey! You touch her again, and you're going to lose a hand.”

Tom acted as dismissive of that threat as he had been with Ressler in the past. At the same time, however, his eyes traveled over the other man more carefully. “Huh. I wouldn't have guessed that you two would get married. But then again, you have been with her longer than I was by now. Did you take his name, Liz?”

“Still none of your business,” Liz snapped. “We're not getting together for a chat, here.”

Don, still glaring with open hostility, added, “I thought you were leaving, anyway.”

Liz cut in before Tom answered. “If you and I ever owed each other anything, Tom, that hasn't been true for a long time. I hope you find something worthwhile to do with your life, but please hear me when I tell you I don't want to see you again.”

He frowned and gave a slow nod. “Yeah. Okay. Have a good life, Liz.” He turned to leave, but after a few steps he turned back, this time addressing her husband. “Don, right? I'm glad she has someone as loyal as you.”

No one spoke after that until the man she had known as Tom was finally out of sight. Then Liz turned to Don. “God. I don't know whether to say 'sorry' or just tell you that I think we should add a couple of bottles of wine to the shopping list.”

Thankfully, he smiled, although it wasn't a very wide smile. “I can't think of a way this is your fault. Let's get the groceries and get out of here.”

She could tell he was still troubled, though, as they finished the task and got into the car to go home. “What is it, Don? I know something's bothering you, and I'm guessing it's something about Tom.”

“I just didn't realize before today that he still had feelings for you, even after all this time,” he said finally.

“Oh,” said Liz. She cleared her throat. “In case you need me to tell you, the only thing I feel for him apart from aggravation is...” She trailed off, needing to be precise. “I guess it's kind of pity, a little. I still remember when I thought the two of us were happy together, yes, but for him, that seems to be all he has. It's like the whole rest of the mess doesn't exist for him.”

Her husband nodded, glancing at her. “I get that. I mean, I see where you're coming from. But the fact that he doesn't see that... Well, it makes me worry that he'll still be back sometime.”

Liz blew out a breath. “Maybe I should have actually made him stay away, too.” She stared down at her lap, her stomach twisting from either guilt or anxiety, or perhaps both. “Do you think I should have?”

“That would have been the absolute most effective way to ensure we won't see him again, but that doesn't mean I think you should have done it,” he said. “I don't know if it makes me a bad lieutenant, but I'm not likely to disagree with you being cautious about using that ability on people. Although if anyone could make me change my mind, it might be Tom.”

She managed a quick smile at his addition, but didn't reply immediately. “I don't think I'll ever lose that cautious feeling,” was what she said as they drove on. “And maybe that makes me a bad leader. I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised if my reluctance is because some part of me has known subconsciously all this time that Red used that ability on me when I was most vulnerable, and whether or not he had a good reason, and even though I know it hurt him, too... that's just a horrible use of power on someone, especially a child.”

Ressler looked ill. “Yeah.” His voice was raspy.

They were both silent for most of the rest of the trip back. As they turned into their lane, though, Don spoke up again. “Liz, I've grown to respect and understand your father more than I would have ever thought possible. I even like him – most of the time. So I don't want you to misunderstand when I say, you're the one I really respect. And I love you for wrestling with this kind of decision even when you know the most... efficient choice.”

Blinking back tears, Liz whispered, “I haven't always. And I still don't know that I would have made another choice.” She knew he knew what she was talking about.

“Yeah,” he said. They pulled into their driveway, and neither of them moved. He turned to face her. “But it still weighs on you. Right?”

“Of course it does,” she said, staring at him.

“Exactly,” said Ressler gently. “So my point stands.”

She shook her head after a minute. “It's still pretty screwed up that you can comfort me by pointing out my conscience isn't gone.”

“That's not what I said,” he said, more insistent now. “I'm pointing out that, yes, you've changed, especially after you had to face harder choices than most people ever have to face. But you're still essentially you. Not your father, and not some unrecognizable version of yourself.”

Liz didn't know whether to try to argue against his assertion, thank him verbally, kiss him, or cry. It seemed like the tears were winning out, so she dropped her face into her hands and gave into them. She heard Don's door open and close. Before she could wonder where he was going, though, her door opened. “Liz, sweetheart, are you crying because you don't believe me, or because you do?”

_I don't know,_ she admitted. Taking a breath, she unbuckled her seatbelt and then met his eyes. Then she wiped her face. “I'm not sure whether I believe you. But thank you for saying it, either way.”

“Well, at least you know I meant it, right?” He bent toward her and cupped her cheek.

She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. “I do know that.” Then she accepted his hand to stand up and went around to the back seat to get the groceries. When she'd picked up the bags, she turned around. “Don.”

He was already almost inside with his part of the load, but he stopped and faced her. “What?”

“I love you so much. And I've never doubted your character for a moment, and I'm so lucky to be able to say that,” she said, her voice cracking on the final few words. She walked up the front path so she could be closer to him. Then she cleared her throat. “I mean, sometimes I worry that – that being with me is damaging your character, but then all I have to do is remind myself that you're stronger than that.”

“I love you, too,” he said, and his voice sounded choked, as well. “And I don't have to fight against some kind of downward spiral because of being with you. That's what I was just saying. I wish you'd believe me.”

Liz breathed out a shaky breath. “Well, right now I'll say that I'm so glad that you believe that. And since you do, I'll try, too.”

“Good,” he told her, and then smiled. “Now let's go inside and put these things down before we get distracted.”

She laughed weakly. “Right. I guess we've given the neighbors enough of a show already.”

~~~~~~

That wasn't the only unexpected confrontation they faced in the home they were creating together. It had been long enough since she'd encountered another dragon she didn't know that took Liz a second or two more than it should have to recognize the sensation. It was a Saturday, and she'd been out hunting in the national park that was only a short drive from their house, with Ressler nearby, of course. He never stayed too far away when she hunted, after the incident with the poacher.

By the time she did realize who and what was approaching, the other dragon was close enough that – she? Liz was pretty sure it was another female – she had definitely noticed Liz, too. _Ressler, we're about to have company,_ Liz said, given her talons one last, quick swipe with her tongue before she took off to find him. _Another dragon._

Alert immediately, she felt that he wanted to know if this dragon meant any harm. _I don't know,_ she said. _I haven't seen her yet, but she knows I'm here, too. It doesn't seem like she's going to attack immediately, or anything._ With relief, Liz saw her husband waiting at the end of one of the less-traveled paths. She landed near him and did not transform. _But she is coming this way._

“And you and Reddington were sure this isn't anyone's territory, right?” Don asked, his hand on his holster.

_I don't see any signs of any long-term occupants, that's for sure,_ said Liz. _And Red wouldn't have suggested we move into someone else's territory._

“Yeah, I figured,” Ressler muttered.

Liz looked up to her right. _Here she is._ The dragon who appeared on the horizon looked dark green, and for a moment, she thought it must be Leah, although it wouldn't make sense that neither of them had recognized each other yet. But as she got closer, Liz saw that the shade of green was much darker, and with a hint of blue. She was beautiful – and, Liz realized with a gulp, huge. Possibly bigger than Red, even (although thankfully nowhere near the size of Lanneth). Still, Liz positioned herself as comfortably as she could while staying ready to move at a moment's notice, and called out, _Hello. I hope I haven't disturbed you._

_You mean you hope you aren't inadvertently trespassing in the territory of a much older and larger dragon,_ came the response, although her tone was calm.

_Well, I haven't seen any signs of any other dragons for the months I've been here,_ Liz said, shifting her stance slightly and still watching the other female get closer. _But yes, I certainly hope that's true._

When she landed about a hundred yards away, Liz saw that this stranger was, indeed, noticeably bigger than her father. The other dragon looked Liz over. _No, this isn't my territory, though I've been the only dragon who spends any time here, as far as I know, for the last decade or so. But at least you obviously haven't been over-hunting the area, which I appreciate._

Liz blinked. _This isn't the only place I go._ She felt Don's anxiety. She knew he was picturing what would happen if this went south, and that his predictions were not good. _Uh, I'm Elizabeth. And this is Don._

The older dragon glanced at Don, and then gave him a second, more penetrating look. But she didn't say anything other than, _My name is Caroline._ She twitched her wings. _I don't meet many strangers nowadays, so it's interesting to meet you._

Liz smiled faintly, politely. _Yeah, I haven't met many strangers recently, either._ She wished she had a better grasp on what Caroline might want from this meeting.

_You're American?_ Caroline asked.

_Originally,_ Liz said.

_Like your father,_ Caroline stated, with a nod.

_What do you know about my father?_ Liz asked, not allowing any hint of challenge into her voice. She was absolutely not going to provoke any conflict, here, especially without any certainty that she would be the victor.

_I'm acquainted with Raymond Reddington,_ said Caroline, sounding amused. _And it doesn't take much to deduce from your coloration and nationality that he must be your father._

_Okay,_ Liz said, still unsure exactly what was going on here.

_Do you have children, Elizabeth?_ Caroline asked, in a conversational tone.

Liz did not look at Don. _Not yet._

_Well._ The other dragon nodded again. _You have plenty of time._

Now this was weird. Liz really wanted to leave, but of course they had come by car and she would not transform, rendering them both all but defenseless in such an unpredictable situation. Just as she was trying to figure out how to ask what the hell Caroline wanted without being quite that blunt, the dragon in question spoke again.

_I realize this a very personal question, but I'm old enough to forgo some social niceties: is this Don of yours also your mate?_

Liz bristled before she could stop herself. But she reined herself in enough to reply in a nearly civil tone. _Yes. He's my husband._

“Why do you ask?” Don added, sounding just as tense.

Caroline stared at him again before moving her gaze back to Liz. _I'm sure you have your reasons, but I can't say I like the idea of a young dragon like you wasting your time with a human, and possibly planning on having children with him._

That was enough. Liz got to her feet and unfurled her wings partway. _Yeah? Well, I can't say I care at all what you think. You don't know me or Don, and you have no right to stick your nose in my business. And you're living in a fantasy if you don't think most dragons in the world today are 'wasting time', as you put it, with humans._ Her tail twitched.

The older dragon had drawn herself up as well, and her eyes were narrowed. _Your entire life is only a fraction of mine, and yet you're lecturing me on the facts of the world?_

Liz hissed. _The last dragon who lectured_ me _on knowing my place in dragon society turned out to be the worst kind of monster, who thought it was his right to take anything and anyone he wanted._ She took a deep breath. _I'm not trying to pretend I know more than you. But I didn't expect that another female would be just as bigoted and disgusting as some of the males I've met._

Caroline blinked. Her voice was mocking, but there was an easily detectable undercurrent of malice. _Such a spirited defense from such a young one. There must be something special about your human._

Liz felt hot rage fill her veins. She took a few steps to her left and then spread her wings completely, so that she was blocking Ressler from view. _Get out._

_Or what, little girl?_ Caroline revealed her own much more impressive wingspan. _I could just crush you, and then I'd be free to get to know him better._

“Liz, now I can't see to aim at her,” Don said in an undertone.

_Don't you move,_ she told him privately. For all of them to hear, she said, _I don't know if I can stop you, but I'm sure as hell going to try. And I'm pretty sure I can make it painful enough not to be worth it for you._ Her heart was beating fast, and by now the adrenaline was more than enough to counteract her usual post-hunt lethargy.

“Liz!” Don said in a horrified whisper. “That is not how this is going to work!”

_There is no alternative. Don't make me literally stand over you, because I will,_ was Liz's terse response, once again for only him to hear. She bared her teeth, not breaking eye contact with Caroline. _Well?_ she called, into the minds of both of them. _Are you going to attack us, or what?_

Unexpectedly, Caroline smiled and sat down, folding her wings. _No, Elizabeth. Your hopes about my attitude weren't completely in vain._ When Liz still didn't respond or relax her posture, the older dragon took a few steps backward and then lay down completely. _I promise I mean neither you nor your – husband any harm. I never did._

Liz lowered her wings but continued to watch Caroline carefully. _Then what the hell was that about?_

_I do think that, in an ideal world, we females should pair up with males of our kind instead of humans. But I also think it's monstrous, as you said, for anyone to actually enforce some kind of – hmm, 'matchmaking' is too innocuous a word, but you obviously understand what I mean all too clearly,_ she said. _It's clear that Don, here, is your second-in-command as well as your husband, so I just wanted to see if your feelings were true. I wouldn't have liked to find out that you both simply reached a convenient arrangement because you two were already in close quarters._

“Even if I could actually follow that, which I can't, our relationship is still not your business. And it still wouldn't be if you'd actually known us before a minute ago,” Ressler said, coming to stand next to Liz instead of behind her.

_No, I suppose not,_ Caroline said calmly. _But I'm reassured, nonetheless, and I wish you happiness._

_Well, I'm not about to thank you,_ Liz snapped. _Neither of us needed our worth to be tested._ It was really too bad it hadn't been Leah they had run into, after all, she thought. It would have been nice to see a friend. She hadn't realized how much she wished she could chat with someone not related to her about things she couldn't share with Don.

_Maybe I needed the reminder of where my priorities should be,_ Caroline said.

_Uh huh. Nice as this might have been for you, then, I'd still like it to be over now,_ Liz replied. She wanted to keep shielding her husband from view, even now, though she did genuinely believe Caroline wasn't a threat. _Please._

_I know, I've bothered you enough,_ said the other dragon, in a tone that was more indulgent than understanding. _Maybe we'll meet again, Elizabeth. Until then, good luck._ She stood and took off.

Liz did not speak until Caroline was out of sight. Then she sighed, and looked down at Ressler. _Are you all right?_

“Why wouldn't I be?” he said, meeting her gaze. He looked irritated.

_No, I mean... I mean, that was frustrating and bizarre, and I'm not sure how to feel now. It must have been extra weird for you,_ she said.

“You could say that,” was his reply.

Then it came over her that he was irritated not only with what had just happened, but also with her, personally. _You're mad at me._

He didn't say anything right away, but when she continued to stare at him, he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Liz, you were going to let a dragon almost twice your size attack you, just to keep her from me.” Now he was glaring.

_Yeah, I know. I was there._ She echoed his sigh. _Was I supposed to just step aside and let her do whatever she wanted to you? Because you have to know I was never going to do that._ Even the idea of it was still almost enough to make her hiss, though she restrained herself.

“You're not _my_ bodyguard, Liz,” Don said, still glaring.

_No, I'm your wife,_ she snapped. _And I wasn't going to let some prejudiced old bat take you away from me. Not her, and not anyone._

His glare lost its force, although he was still irked. He swallowed. “I'm not saying I don't understand that you want to protect me.”

_Good, because that would be pretty ridiculous of you to say,_ Liz told him, her own ire also draining away. With the urgency of the situation fading as well, she was starting to feel sleepy again.

A corner of his mouth turned up. “Right.” Then he frowned again. “But... you should understand why I'm upset, then, too. You scared the hell out of me.”

She bent down so her head was closer to him. _I was scared, too,_ she admitted. _I guess we were both scared of losing each other._

“Yeah,” he breathed. He shook his head, and reached up to touch the side of hers. “And unfortunately, I'm guessing we'll have other times where we're both in danger.”

She closed her eyes for a moment. _You might be right about that._

“So...” He took a deep breath. “Just try to remember how much I don't want to lose you, okay?”

Her heart squeezed. _I will, as long as you do, too._ Then, after a pause, she straightened. _And I guess we'll also both have to keep in mind that we're going to keep running into idiots who don't like that we're together._ Her voice had come out more sad than angry, that time.

Immediately, she read in Ressler's thoughts a very rude suggestion for what those people could do. She laughed. _Yeah. Don't worry – I'm not ready to give in, or anything._

“I never doubted that,” he said, craning his neck to meet her eyes. “If I ever do, I'll remember you spreading your wings to shield me from a dragon who had to be older and bigger than your father.”

Liz would have flushed if she could have. In fact, there were a couple of other things she would have done – and it was about time to go home, anyway. She transformed, and remembered a millisecond before it was too late that her face probably still had blood on it. So instead of kissing Don, like she wanted to, she threw her arms around him. He returned the embrace, and it was almost painful on her very full stomach, but she didn't care.

When they released each other, Ressler brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “Ready to go back?”

“Yeah,” she said softly. She smiled. “I'm probably going to be asleep as soon as I sit down in the car.”

“I know,” he told her. “I'll let you know if anything interesting happens on the way home.”

Home. That still had a really nice, if not familiar yet, ring to it. “Sounds good.”


	5. Chapter 5

~~  
It was far from an ideal situation, but it was better than their last relocation. Not that that was a very high bar to clear, Don thought wryly. All that was necessary for that to be true was for no houses to explode and no one to be kidnapped.

Three months after their honeymoon, Don had gotten word via his network of contacts that someone (there weren't enough details yet to know who among their enemies) was getting close to finding them. This news had caused them both more than a little bit of sadness. It wasn't unexpected, of course, but they had grown to love their home here even more than they had loved the one in New Zealand. After all, it was the first place they lived as a married couple. At least they had some time to get ready to leave this time, though, instead of being forced out by an attack.

As Don took a last look around what had been their bedroom, he let out a sigh. Liz was really not looking forward to their next destination, and he couldn't blame her that much. They had done their best to live in temperate or tropical climates up until now, but consultation with Red had led them to the conclusion that Sweden would be their best bet. (It wasn't the middle of winter there, at least, which was a small point in their favor.) Red wouldn't be traveling with them this time, though he promised he would be available to come if they needed him at any point.

“We ready to go?”

Don turned to look at his wife. “Yeah, I guess so. You found all your winter clothes?”

“Yep. They're packed.” She cleared her throat and said, “I'm going to miss this place.”

“Me, too,” he agreed, squeezing her hand for a moment. Then he bent down to pick up one of the few boxes they were taking with them. “Let's go.”

The flight passed as painlessly as possible. It was long, even with their brief stopover in Frankfurt to break it up, but uneventful. They looked at the housing options in the Stockholm area for some of the time, slept a fair amount, and discussed the progress of their and Red's campaign against the Cabal. Several higher-ranking members had been outed and taken down recently, which was encouraging. Of course, it also might well have been the reason they had to move.

Two months later, they had settled in, and Christmas was on the horizon. That time of year meant very long nights and short days – and even though winter in Stockholm was surprisingly mild for a Scandinavian city, Liz tended to want to stay inside as much as possible. She had to leave the house to go to her job at the drop-in clinic, but on weekends she rarely wanted to leave their room, much less brave the elements outside.

Today happened to be a Saturday. He hadn't really woken up yet that morning, though at one point he had glanced at the clock and seen it was pretty late. He thought he had felt Liz shift away from him some time ago, but he only opened his eyes when she came back, and quickly burrowed up against him as close as possible. She was cold to the touch. Shivering, he groaned and tried to pull away. “Cold,” he complained.

“Yeah, I know – and you're warm,” she murmured, pursuing him. Giving up on escaping, since that would require too much effort, Ressler turned over instead and put his arms around Liz. She hummed in approval and moved herself closer, again. “Much better.”

“Where'd you go, anyway?” he asked her, as she settled with her head against his chest.

“Just the bathroom – but then I saw that it's snowing,” she said. “So I went out and watched the snow fall for a little while from the living room.”

“Mm.” Don blinked slowly. Liz had warmed up by now, and his eyelids were getting heavy again. “Good thing we don't have to go anywhere today.”

Liz sighed. “Mmhmm.”

They ended up sleeping until nearly noon, when hunger drove them out of bed. Liz grabbed one of the throw blankets from their bed to wrap around herself on the way out to the kitchen, and Don made some eggs for their breakfast/lunch.

“What do you want to do for Christmas this year?” Liz asked out of the blue, while they ate.

Don raised his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, how do you want to celebrate?”

He considered the question. The last two years, the amount they were able to celebrate the holiday had varied widely. “Well, a tree would be nice. And some presents – just a dozen or so. For me, I mean.”

She rolled her eyes. “Right. Very reasonable. What else?”

“I don't know. It doesn't need to be anything big and extravagant.”

“Other than the dozen presents, you mean,” Liz pointed out with a grin.

“Yeah, other than that.” Growing up, it had always been his mom who had been the driving force behind making the house all festive, and continuing various holiday traditions. Dad had very willingly gone along with her urgings, but hadn't offered much in the way of input himself. Of course, that didn't mean Don didn't miss them both especially during the Christmas season. “I'm guessing Red's going to be around for at least part of the time?” he asked.

Liz nodded. “I still have to confirm the dates of his visit, but yes.”

“Good.” Ressler ate a few more bites. He knew Christmas wasn't an easy time for Red, with what had happened to his family during that season, but the man still made an effort to be with Liz when December 25 rolled around.

They did, in fact, end up staying inside for the whole day. The snow continued to fall, and Don welcomed the soft stillness it brought with it. There was nothing quite like sitting inside a cozy, warm house with his wife, watching the world outside turning white and wintry. This was his favorite way to experience snow, and he was sure Liz would agree.

It snowed off and on for the next two weeks. Liz's hours at the drop-in clinic were reduced due to the weather as well as the holiday season, which made her glad although she'd been enjoying practicing as a psychologist in that environment. Don worked at a security consulting firm in the same complex. (That was close enough that he felt all right letting the female bodyguard he and Liz had hired to become the receptionist at the clinic be Liz's primary protection.) His office was much less busy during this time of the year as well, so that meant plenty of time at home. It also meant it was a little harder for him to find the time to go Christmas shopping for her.

Of course, he had to come up with some ideas for what to get her first. That was never easy. He knew neither of them wanted to accumulate a lot of stuff, since they would very likely just have to get rid of most or all of it when they next had to move. But he wanted to do something special.

While he was still considering the issue one afternoon when they were both at work, his cell phone rang. It was Liz. “Hey. What's going on?” he asked as he picked up.

“Nothing serious,” she replied. “Just wanted to tell you that I think we should pick up a tree after work today. Maybe leave a little early, if you think that's all right.”

“I think it should be fine,” Don told her. “You going to be all right being out in this for a while?”

“You know I brought my scarf, hat, gloves, and warm coat with me to work, Henry,” she said, using his current alias. Her tone was more affectionate than annoyed. “You saw them. So you don't need to worry about me.”

Don laughed once, rueful. “I'll try not to, but there's only so much I can do, apparently.”

She sighed, and he could imagine her rolling her eyes. “Uh huh. Anyway, I'll see you soon.”

Don did in fact finish up at the office in plenty of time. Liz had texted to say she could leave whenever he was ready, so that meant they were on their way to the nearest tree lot just a few minutes later. It was snowing lightly though it had been clear for most of the day. The light dusting of white only made the city – which was thoroughly decked out for the holidays – look even more beautiful. He drove slowly, both for safety's sake and so that the two of them could look at the Christmas lights as they went. No one behind him seemed to mind.

When they pulled in to the parking area, Don saw that there were a few other customers (mostly couples) looking around, but it wasn't crowded. That was good; he wanted to be able to focus on the task rather than only being on high alert for potential threats.

“Do you have a kind you prefer?” Liz asked, as they started down the first row of cut firs.

He had just reached out to touch a very nice-looking tree, and only then realized that the needles were sharper than he had expected. “Ouch. Uh, not really. Maybe not this one, though. The ones with flatter needles.”

Liz laughed at him and took his hand in her gloved one. “You know, they're called pine _needles_ for a reason, dear.”

“Shut up,” he said, trying to look angry and failing. She laughed again, and with a mock glare he said, “Anyway. Kinds of trees.”

She relented, finally, and pointed at another type. “How about this one? It looks nice.”

“Yeah, I like that type, I think,” said Don, looking it over and stepping closer, “but I think this one's a little too tall, don't you?”

A little more searching led them to a Nordmann fir, as the tag proclaimed it, that seemed to be just the right height and nearly perfect in shape. It wasn't cheap, but they could manage it without drawing too much attention for their expenditure as a supposedly middle-class couple. And after all, it was the holidays.

The attendant was happy to help them get the tree onto their car's roof and tie it down. The snow had picked up by the time they were finished, so Don drove even more carefully back home. “Let's leave it outside tonight, huh?” he said to Liz as they pulled into their driveway. “It's too dark and cold to do more than take it off our roof.”

“Just what I was thinking,” Liz said. “But maybe we can cut off the ropes and stuff to let the branches start to come down.”

“Sounds good.”

They got the tree off the roof of the car without too much trouble, although Don was sure they each nearly slipped a couple of times on their slick front walk when they were carrying it between the two of them. Once they had set the tree down on the porch, Don said, “Why don't you go inside and make us something warm to drink while I get the ropes off?”

Liz raised an eyebrow. “I told you I'm fine, you know,” she said, although he could see that she was shivering just a little.

“Humor me, all right?” He took her gloved hand in his for a moment. “I know you're fine. Just let me do my manly duty and take care of this out here, while you--”

“Go into the kitchen and fix you a hot beverage, like a good wife?” she finished wryly. But then she grinned, and withdrew her hand from his. “Fine. But if you take too long, husband of mine, there won't be any left for you.”

“Noted.” Don did his best to finish untying the tree as quickly as possible. When he got inside, taking off his gloves, scarf, boots, and coat, he smelled hot cocoa – with a hint of peppermint and something else. “What did you make?” he called out from their entryway.

“Why don't you come here and find out?” was her reply, warm and teasing.

Don hurried into the kitchen. She was there, holding a mug of the enticing-smelling beverage and wearing a green Santa hat, of all things. There was another mug on the counter, empty, and a pot on the stove. There was also a bottle of tequila on the counter, next to the mug and a little bottle whose label he couldn't see from here.

“Tequila? Really?” Don stepped forward and picked up the mug.

Liz nodded. “Yeah. I looked up a recipe online – one that was easy enough that I could follow it without messing it up. Just needed to add peppermint oil and tequila to taste. It's pretty good.”

Don carefully poured himself some cocoa from the stove and added some of the other two ingredients before stirring. It was, in fact, surprisingly delicious. It also warmed him thoroughly. “Okay. This is pretty nice.”

She smiled and took another sip from her mug. “Isn't it?”

“Yeah. My other question was,” he said, turning to face her completely, “where did you find that hat? And why didn't you bring it out sooner?”

“You like it?” Her smile widened. She reached up with one hand to touch the pompom on the end of the hat. “I just got it today. A gift from a client.”

He took a step closer. “Well, I'm jealous. My clients never bring me anything like that.”

“That's too bad.” She giggled. “I think you'd look very fetching in a Santa hat. Green, especially. A red one might clash with your hair.”

“Really?” He had gotten even closer, and now he could look at her face from just inches away. “I think it'd be all right.” Her bright-eyed happiness, her grin, her cheeks slightly flushed with the contrast between the chill of outside and the warmth of the house and her drink, and even the silly festive hat – it all combined to make her adorable and irresistible. 

She looked up at him, cocking her head as if pondering his comment. “Maybe. I'll have to ask my client if she has any more where this came from.” Then she took another drink, licked her lips, and set down her mug on the counter.

Without taking his eyes off her, Don reached out to set his mug down as well. He very narrowly avoided sloshing the hot liquid over his hand as he did so. Then he reached for her, pulled her close, and brought his lips to hers. She immediately brought her hands up into his hair, deepening the kiss. The sound she made right then banished any remaining hints of cold in his body.

This kind of hot chocolate, Don thought distractedly, as the two of them moved toward their bedroom, was definitely a winner.

Neither of them noticed when the Santa hat fall off Liz's head somewhere on the way to their room.

~  
Christmas Morning

Don woke up absurdly early, for no cause that he could pinpoint. He turned over as quietly as he could, and barely held back a groan when he saw that it was not even five o'clock. It wasn't like he was a six-year-old kid, too excited about the presents under the tree to be able to sleep. He really would have preferred not to wake up for at least another two hours.

Sighing, he rolled over onto his back and shut his eyes again. But now that he was awake, his mind didn't want to shut off. Red and Dembe were coming over today, sometime in the afternoon, and there were still a few things Don wanted to do to get the house ready. There were also a few last-minute security checks he wanted to run. Neither of these things were going to be difficult or take much time, though. He really didn't need to think about them now.

Eventually, Ressler managed to fall back to sleep until the much more reasonable hour of eight. That was when Liz woke him by wrapping her arms around him from behind and kissing his neck. “Hey. Merry Christmas, Don,” she whispered.

He covered her hands with his, yawned, and then said, “Good morning. Merry Christmas.”

They lay together, quiet, for a few more minutes. Then her stomach growled. Don laughed.

“What?” said Liz with a little toss of her head as she sat up. “I want to try those special Swedish Christmas cookies that Lena gave us. They looked really good.”

“Cookies for breakfast?” Don raised an eyebrow, his arms now crossed behind his head.

Liz shrugged. “It's Christmas. Why not?” She got off the bed and pulled her robe out of the closet, shivering as she put it on.

“I guess I can't argue with that reasoning,” said Don. He got out of bed as well. “But I think I'm going to want something a little more substantial to go along with the cookies.”

Liz was already heading out into the hallway. She called back, “Well, in that case, it'll be up to you. I'm not interested in trying to make anything fancy.”

As it turned out, there was enough of the cake one of Don's coworkers had given them to complement the cookies, and make a perfectly unhealthy and festive Christmas breakfast. Liz found her Santa hat again, and gave him his first present of the morning: a red one of his own. He immediately put it on, and the way she beamed at him was more than enough reward to offset any ridiculousness he might have felt. “You were right,” she told him, kissing him lightly on the cheek. “It doesn't clash with your hair, after all.”

“Good,” he said. “Because you know how much I care about what kind of statement my outfit is making.”

She laughed and took his hand. “Come on, Mr. Claus. Don't you want to see what your wife left under the tree for you?”

“I do – but hang on a second.” Don squeezed her hand and then went over to the little drawer in one of the end tables. He pulled out the digital camera that they didn't use all that often, and showed it to her. “We may not be sending out Christmas cards, but I think a photo wouldn't be a bad idea.”

“Of our first Christmas in this house?” She smiled, although there was a hint of shadow behind her eyes. Both of them knew without it having to be said that they might have to move on well before next year. But she didn't dwell on that, instead looking down at herself. “Okay, but do you really want us to take a picture right now, like this? I haven't even combed my hair yet today.”

Don put his arm around her. “You're beautiful,” he told her. “And besides, that hat covers up your hair, so no one needs to know what it really looks like.”

She shoved him, but agreed that it would be fine, especially since they weren't planning to share the picture with everyone they knew. So he set it up on the fireplace mantle, and got a few good shots of the two of them. He'd have to remember to upload them off the camera's card later.

“All right. Are we ready for presents now?” Liz said, pulling him along toward the tree without waiting for an answer.

“They're not going anywhere, you know,” Don pointed out, though he went along willingly. Despite his joking comments several weeks ago, they had each ended up only getting each other a few gifts. “Let me guess: you were the little girl who woke her dad up at an ungodly hour of the morning to open gifts.”

Liz, already selecting one of the boxes with her name on it, nodded. “Mmhmm. And he actually had to keep most of them locked away until I went to bed the night before, too. I wasn't very good at the whole patience thing.”

Smirking, Don sat down on the couch. “Oh, you _weren't_ , were you?”

She looked up with a glare. “Just what are you insinuating, sweetheart?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all, honey,” he said, leaning back. “Open it. I know you don't want to keep waiting.”

The present she had selected was the one Don had hoped she would get to first. It was a nice silver necklace with a heart-shaped pendant. There were three tiny sapphires set in the pendant. Liz's mouth dropped open when she saw it, and she put a hand to her own heart. “Don … it's beautiful.”

“I'm glad you like it,” he said softly.

She took it out of the box and held it up, exclaiming in delight again, and then said, “Help me put it on. I want to wear it right away.”

He stood up and walked around to help her with the clasp. On his way there, she reached out and took his hand for a second. Then she let go so he could fasten the necklace around her neck. “There.”

“Thank you,” she said, and it wasn't just for the little action he had just accomplished.

“You're welcome.”

“Here's your first one.” She handed him a little box, much more fancily wrapped than any of his. When he opened it, he saw a very nice, high-end Swiss army knife. “I know you lost yours when our house in New Zealand was destroyed,” she explained. “So I thought...”

“Liz, this is great,” he said. He had been making do since then with a cheap knockoff he'd found in a market some place. But this was the real thing. “I'm going to have to spend some time figuring out what all it can do. Not right now, obviously,” he added, when she cleared her throat.

Liz's second gift from him was a framed photo – well, several photos, really, all in one frame. There was one of them walking out of what was just recognizable as the Post Office together, deep in conversation. Red had given him the original of this image, some time last year. Then there was the photo they had taken of themselves together in front of the beach on the island after Thailand. They were both smiling, almost laughing, and there was no trace of that recent trauma visible on either of their faces. Lastly, there was a picture from their wedding, under the arch while they were saying their vows. There was one spot for a photo that was still empty.

“That's for you to choose whatever other picture you want,” Don said.

She was silent, her fingers tracing over the glass on each of the photos he had included. She swallowed. “It's-- it's perfect,” she said thickly. “How did you get this one of us at work?”

“Red,” he said simply.

She stood up from her seat on the floor in front of the tree, walked over to where he was on the couch, and kissed him. “Well, I don't know how you're going to top this,” she said, when she paused, “but I look forward to seeing you try, anyway. And remind me to thank Red for the picture, too, when he gets here.”

Don leaned in and kissed her again, just because. “Okay, I will.” He hoped his last gift lived up to that pressure.

Liz reached down and passed him his second present. It was bigger than the Swiss army knife, and by its shape, Don could guess what it might be... When he tore off the paper, he let out a laugh. “Of course.” It was the special edition Blu-Ray of _How To Train Your Dragon_ , the box set that included both movies. Grinning as he remembered the time they had watched the first movie together, Don said, “Maybe we can watch the second one together soon – but in the same room this time.”

She huffed a laugh and rested her head on his shoulder. “That sounds good.”

The last envelope under the tree from him contained two tickets to the Stockholm Christmas Walking Tour, for tomorrow afternoon. It had sounded like a very romantic, charming way to experience the city's Old Town lights and other Christmas decorations, as well as learning about Swedish holiday traditions and trying some traditional Christmas treats.

“This sounds like a lot of fun,” Liz said, after she read the tickets and Don had explained a little more. “What a great idea, Don. I'm excited to see what it's like! And before you say anything, yes, I'll bundle up.”

He gave a self-deprecating shrug. “Would you believe me if I said I wasn't going to say anything?”

“Not really, no.” But she just looked amused. She slid the tickets back into the envelope and set it down on top of her picture frame. “All right. One more for you. I guess we had some similar ideas.”

Don opened the last gift she handed him to reveal a good-sized framed photo, just one. This one was of the two of them walking along the South African beach hand-in-hand. It was a gorgeous shot – both of them all but unaware of the photographer as they looked into each other's eyes. At Liz's urging, Don took a closer look at the little engraved metal plate on the bottom of the frame. It had their wedding date, and then after that it read, “Wherever life takes me, I know I'm home when I'm with you.”

It was his turn to get choked up. “Liz,” he said, and then couldn't go any further.

She leaned against him, tilting her head up to meet his eyes. _It's the truth_ , she told him softly.

“For me, too,” he managed to say, and then pulled her into his arms.

A short while later, Liz sat up. “What's that last present there?” she asked. “I thought we'd agreed on three each.”

There was, in fact, one last box for her, labeled as being from both him and Red. “It's really from your father,” Don said. “He insisted I put my name on it as well, but I was barely involved. You can either open it now, or wait until he gets here – if that's possible for you, I mean.”

Giving him another dirty look, Liz said, “Then I'll wait for him. Just to prove to you that I can.”

“I'll believe it when I see it,” he shot back, dodging her fist as he got up to go change.

Whether it was because of all the things they wanted to do before Red and Dembe arrived, or because Liz found some patience, the gift remained under the tree until their guests were seated in the living room, each enjoying a cup of Red's homemade eggnog as well as some late lunch fare. Red had brought a few other gifts, and of course Don and Liz had some for him and for Dembe, as well.

Somehow, the gift from Red that also had Don's name on it ended up being the last one to be distributed. Don glanced at Liz's father as she started to pull off the wrapping paper; if he wasn't mistaken, the man was just the slightest bit nervous as he waited for her reaction.

But he didn't have any reason to be. Liz looked down at the little album of photos with wonder, tenderness, and a host of other emotions. She examined every page before looking up again. “Red,” she breathed, “these-- these don't look like copies. They look like... Are you giving me the original photos that Sam sent you for all those years?”

Red cleared his throat. “Most of them,” he said with a nod. “I don't really need glimpses of your life, your childhood in pictures anymore, since you and Donald have given me the privilege of being part of your lives now. But Donald suggested photos when I spoke to him a few weeks ago about gift ideas. I thought you might like to know what moments Sam thought I should see – and I hope they help you remember and honor the man who raised you.”

Liz wiped a few tears from under her eyes. She put the photo album down with care on the coffee table. Then she went to stand in front of Red. If she said anything to him, Don didn't hear it, but her father stood up, and Liz put her arms around him and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“Merry Christmas, Lizzie,” he replied, his voice unsteady as he held her.

She let go of him a few seconds later, and went to Don. “And thank you, too.”

“Like I said, I didn't have much to do with it,” he told her. But he was hardly going to refuse a hug from his wife, even so.

“Don't be so modest, Donald,” said Red, after the two had sat back down. “Your suggestion was invaluable. As Dembe could tell you, I was somewhat at a loss for a suitable gift this year.”

Dembe cocked an eyebrow. “More than somewhat.”

Laughing, Liz patted Dembe on the shoulder. “Thanks for putting up with him,” she said.

The man just smiled and said, “Merry Christmas, Elizabeth. And to you, too, Don.” They returned the sentiment.

“Now, I suggest we open up this fine bottle of scotch that my son-in-law gave me, and continue to celebrate the day,” Red said, standing up. “I'm also hoping you two haven't finished off all the pepparkakor yet. I haven't had homemade pepparkakor in ages!”

“You mean those ginger cookies? Lena made enough to feed an army, so yes, we have some left,” said Liz, as the group of them went toward the dining room.

As Red launched into a story about the last time he'd been in Stockholm before this, Don smiled and watched his unconventional family gathering around the table. He hoped they might be able to celebrate more holidays in this house, but if not, it wasn't like the house was the important thing.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait in getting this chapter finished! I know it's basically just fluff, but hopefully it's as enjoyable to read as it was to put together.
> 
> Also, apologies for any inaccuracies regarding Stockholm, or Swedish holiday customs, etc. I researched as best I could, but I fully acknowledge my lack of personal experience.


End file.
